


Mercy

by Kittypride13 (orphan_account)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Buried Alive, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gen, Hurt Keith (Voltron), Panic, Platonic Relationships, shiro is angry, twisted mercy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-23 23:45:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16628792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Kittypride13
Summary: Keith's galra heritage has always been an issue but these aliens don't seem to mind. To bad their idea of helping is more of a horror show.





	Mercy

**Author's Note:**

> Keith is buried alive...just be careful when reading.

_Keith opened his eyes to darkness. A dull throb formed in the back of his head and there was an ache in his muscles he couldn't place. Groaning he attempted to shift his position, get a grasp on where he was, but he quickly met a wall. Reaching out he investigated the small space. It was a box. Just big enough to hold him lying down, no larger or smaller. Pressing up he felt a great weight for a moment before it shifted a bit and something slipped through the crack in the lid. Keith paused and lifted some to his face. It smelled sweet and cloying and had a texture akin to sand. Dread pooled in his stomach and his heart beat faster._

_He'd been buried alive._

===========================================

The paladins had been invited to Myzak for a grand celebration in their honor.

The tall tree-like beings were insistent that they have the opportunity to thank the paladins for freeing them. They were particularly excited to meet Pidge and immediately swept her and Hunk away to display their biotech accomplishments. The green paladin's eyes were shining as one of their engineers explained one of their more impressive defensive mechanisms. Keith was quickly lost as their conversation progressed and drifted away. Lance had already found a group and was animatedly describing their missions with a certain degree of embellishment. Already his audience was enraptured. Shiro and Allura were addressing the High Priestess and the King on the subject of a possible alliance.

Keith on the other hand, lurked in the background. His eyes roamed carefully over his comrades, ensuring their safety as he leaned against a pillar. He'd never liked this part of being a paladin. The diplomacy, the social requirements. He'd learned to an extent but in the end, he still hated it all with a passion. Keith's eyes narrowed a bit as a shorter female approached. Her eyes fixed on him and her steps sure. She smiled when she reached him. "Welcome to Myzak red paladin. Are you enjoying yourself?"

Remembering Shiro's words Keith schooled his face into something more welcoming. "Uh, yeah. It's...nice."

She tilted her head curiously and smiled almost indulgently. "I take it you are not much of a fan of crowds." She offered.

Keith frowned. There was something off about her. He couldn't place it though and it didn't seem malicious just...not quite right, so he resigned himself to the conversation. Shiro had asked him to try and socialize. "There's a lot of noise" He replied hoping the answer would appease her.

"Yes," She agreed pleasantly, "Though such a ruckus should be expected from a party."

"Mmm" He hummed unsure of what else to say.

She didn't seem bothered by his nonverbal response."I could show you the royal gardens if you are in search of some quiet..." She offered, gesturing towards one of the exits. Keith frowned. The offer was a tempting one. But even if he did trust this girl, which he wasn't sure about, he'd still want to make sure the other paladins knew what was going on and more to the point, he was supposed to be socializing. Somehow escaping to a quiet garden at the first opportunity didn't seem like the kind of thing Shiro had meant. He said nothing in response, settling on a unclear hum. She didn't press the issue. Instead she suggested that he try some of the food that had been provided. The next thing he knew he was being semi-dragged through the crowd towards the refreshment table.

"So, What kinds of food do you like?" She asked

"Um..."

"No wait! I'll pick something out. It'll be a surprise! Just wait here." She dashed off, leaving a distinctly uncomfortable red paladin in her wake. Fortunately no one seemed all that interested in their interactions. After a moment or two a familiar voice spoke from behind him.

"Oh, Hey Keith! Have you tried the blue cookie things yet? They're pretty good." The yellow paladin was smiling at him

. Keith shook his head and had just opened his mouth to respond when the Myzak girl returned with a couple of fizzy drinks in peculiarly shaped glasses. "Oh hello! I'm Migrela. You must be the yellow paladin."

Hunk grinned right back at her. "Yeah, it's nice to meet you Migrela."

She turned her attention to Keith again, holding out one of the glasses. "You should try this." She suggested as he cautiously took it.

Keith frowned at the curious yellow beverage. "What is it?" He asked.

"Yadra wine." Migrela supplied.

"Yadra what?" He sniffed it curiously. It smelled fruity.

Hunk leaned over his shoulder. "Huh. Fruity. Are you gonna try it?" He asked.

Keith shrugged. "I guess so." He tilted the glass back. It tasted tangy and sour and the fizz tickled his throat as it went down. He hummed a bit, considering. "Not bad." He decided.

Migrela beamed and Hunk took a sip from his glass. "It tastes kind of like a sour apple slurpee, just fizzy." The yellow paladin commented thoughtfully.

Keith took back his glass with a huff. "I like it."

===================================================

_He needed to get his breathing under control. In and out. Count the seconds. Slowly his acing heart calmed. The blackness, the heavy dark still surrounded him but he shoved his fears back. He could freak out later. Now he needed to come up with a plan. He couldn't feel his Marmora blade or his comm. No way to contact his team. The question now was whether he should wait for a rescue or be trying to dig his way out. Either way, he needed to decide soon because if he choose wrong,_

_Keith wasn't sure Red could get to him in time._

===================================================

The band was the last straw for Keith.

The room was already loud, filled with too many people, too many smells and sights and sounds and everything. There was just too much and this new chaotic source of sound which drew even more people into the room was his breaking point. Forget socializing and being polite. Keith needed to leave. As soon as humanly possible. He couldn't just go back to the castle though. Coran was taking care of some light maintenance onboard while the ship orbited the planet and the paladins had requested rooms on planet to avoid getting in he way. Shiro was deep in discussion with the priestess though and Keith didn't want to interrupt. Where could he go? suddenly he spotted a familiar brown face in the crowd. The garden! Maybe she could just direct him there. He could have some quiet and wouldn't need to bother anyone else. When he was feeling better he'd head back, and if they needed him they could always find him via the comm after all.

The Myzak girl seemed more than willing to show him to the garden. She chattered happily about the spiritual significance of the garden as they moved further away from the party. "The Windrenll is the centerpiece of the garden. It's the oldest tree of it's kind and an important part of our beliefs about the universe. They say if you are buried beneath the Windrenll your spirit is purified and granted a place in Dranala for all eternity. Few are ever grated such an honor." She was saying. Keith wasn't really listening anymore though so he missed her next comment. "I envy your position paladin."

Suddenly something struck him in the neck. He ripped the dark out but it was too late Keith felt his legs give out as the toxin worked. "Sleep. And when you wake your blood shall be pure in the halls of Dranala." Migrela's sing song voice said as his world faded to black.

========================================================

_It was getting hard to breathe. he couldn't wait any longer. He would panic. He'd pass out not knowing if he'd ever wake up again. He had to do something. First the box. He thanked his mother's side for his abnormal strength when he managed to punch a hole through the coffin lid. Splinters dung into his flesh as he held his breath and began to dig. There was no turning back. If he couldn't dig his way out,_

_he'd suffocate in black soil._

========================================================

The party was drawing to a close and the paladin's were more than ready to find their accommodations for the night. Unfortunately, they seemed to be missing a paladin. Shiro looked around the near empty room in search of his brother. He frowned. "Did he go back to the castle?" Hunk asked worriedly.

"No," Allura replied, "Coran would have sent me a message if that were the case."

"And the red lion is still here." Pidge pointed out.

Lance snorted."He's probably hiding out in some random hallway 'cause he's to emo for parties."

"That doesn't explain why he isn't answering his comm."

"Pidge," Shiro turned to the green paladin, "You can track his comm right?"

"Oh yeah!" She smacked herself on the forehead and pulled up a rough map with six colorful blips on he screen. The red one was a little ways away in a smaller room. Allura relaxed the moment she saw it. "Oh. He must have gone to his room early." She commented in relief. The other's relaxed as well. Only Shiro was still on edge. Something felt wrong. He just wasn't sure what. Well, the best thing for his worry would be to make sure his little brother was fine. So, when the other paladin's headed for their rooms Shiro made his way to Keith's.

He knocked on the door but there was no answer. He paused before opening it. What if Keith was asleep? Shiro knew he hadn't been sleeping well lately, he didn't want to wake the other boy if he could help it. However, he also knew that he'd be anxious until he saw that his little brother was ok. He opened the door as quietly as he could and peered in.

Keith wasn't there.On the bed lay his comm and his Marmoran knife.

Shiro swore.

The paladin's were back in the hall. Allura and Shiro were attempting the diplomatic approach in discovering what had happened to Keith. Pidge on the other hand, was trying to decide if she should just hack their feeds. Hunk was worrying and Lance was trying to remember the last time he had seen the red paladin. A door swung open with a bang and every head turned.

Standing in the doorway was a short humanoid figure. They were covered in black soil and streaked in blood. One leg dragged behind them awkwardly and they leaned heavily on one of the Myzak energy spears. Their face was haggard and dirty but sill easily recognizable.

"Keith!"

Shiro was across the room in a moment and Keith all but collapsed into his brother's hold. "Allura! He needs a pod!"

The princess nodded. Her eyes were angry but not with them.  "Take him back to the castle. I'll stay here and find out what happened."

The black paladin was gone in a flash.

The rest of the paladins turned on the King and Priestess. It wasn't long before the story came out. They had found out about Keith's galra blood and decided that he was a danger. Doomed to betray the paladins when his cursed blood grew too strong. So, they had done what they thought best and buried him beneath the sacred Windrenll to save his soul. Unfortunately, the drug they had used reacted differently with his hybrid form and wore off far to quickly.

The other paladin's couldn't conceal their horror when they realized what their friend had had to do.

He'd dug his way out of his own grave.

=========================================================

When Keith next opened his eyes he was met with the chill blue of the pod as it opened and his brother's arms wrapped warmly around him. The events of the party came back in full force and for a moment he froze. Red purred in the back of his mind.

~~You're safe now my paladin.~~

He wrapped his arms around his brother as the rest of the them piled into the hug. He smiled softly, safe in the arms of his team.


End file.
